Fitter2
You have a better memory than me (or a better diary). I was only a spectator at this South Cerney comp, but I think at the time we were told that it was an American 'ace'. And I'm pretty sure his elevator was 'Up'. I can't understand the problem with the tow rope. We always used the same hooking on point for winch and aero. None of the gliders I ever flew had a nose hook. Even if this guy was used to a nose hook surely he could have coped OK with the rope in the winch release position? It doesn't seem to tie up. It was a very nasty thing to watch, and luckily the only thing damaged was the Chipmunk and the glider pilot's ego. After wrecking the Chippy he just flew on over the top of the wreckage and landed ahead!
I do remember the heavy landing and the noise it made.
Things must have been a bit easygoing in those early days. Later when I was part of the team organising and running the Nationals in 1971 at Husbands Bosworth we had an inspector from Speedwells come to check over all the gliders before we would launch them. I'm pretty sure any mod. like the one the Swiss guy had, that was not properly authorised would have got the aircraft disqualified.
I also landed the job of taking all the competitors who had not flown at HB before up for a check ride as HB was quite a small grass field. Two very 'senior ' competitors flew their check so badly that I didn't pass them, and they got a second trip with the CFI to sort out their airmanship.